System for cleansing organisms from water

• US 10,407,320 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2018
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Original Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Inventors: Marka, Szabolcs, Bartos, Imre, Marka, Zsuzsanna
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin, Walter D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Allen, Cameron J
• Application Number:
  US15/925,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20180208487A1
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/008 Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/36 ultrasonic vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/009 Apparatus with independent power supply, e.g. solar cells, windpower, fuel cells for electrolysis apparatus C02F2201/46165
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/005 Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/04 Disinfection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/212 Solar-powered wastewater sewage treatment, e.g. spray evaporation

Abstract

Techniques for depleting target organisms in water include a waterproof transducer configured for ensonifying a container of water with low intensity sound at one or more ultrasound frequencies for a duration sufficient to prevent maturation of at least 90% of the target organism. In some cases the target organism is mosquito larvae. For example, a portable system for depleting target organisms in water includes a control system and a plurality of waterproof transducers. The system is configured for ensonifying a surface layer of water in an acoustic frequency range from about 40 kilohertz to about 100 kilohertz and in a power concentration range from about 35 milliwatts per milliliter to 100 milliwatts per milliliter for a duration in a range from about 1 to about 100 seconds.

Claims

1. A method for depleting insect larvae in a container of water comprising ensonifying the container of water with low intensity sound in a power concentration range from at least about 35 milliwatts per milliliter to 100 milliwatts per milliliter at one or more ultrasound frequencies for a duration sufficient to deplete at least 90% of the insect larvae.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein ensonification occurs in an acoustic frequency range from about 40 kiloHz to about 100 kiloHz for a duration in a range from about 1 to about 10 seconds.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the insect larva are mosquito larvae.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the duration is about 20 seconds over a time interval from about 20 seconds to about 30 seconds.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein ensonifying the container of water further comprises ensonifying the water at 40 kilohertz and at 68 kilohertz.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein ensonifying the container of water further comprises ensonifying the container during a plurality of ten second pulses.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the plurality of ten second pulses are separated by intervals of about ten seconds without ensonification.